Leave it to me to wait until the last minute to give you a 4th of July recipes. So, to make it up to you, I’m giving you a recipe round up of the last years recipes that would be appropriate for todays festivities. If you want even more recipes, click on the July 4th Popsicle recipe below for last years round up.

Appetizer:

Buffalo Hummus Courtesy of my friend, Amelia. It’s hands down my all-time favorite hummus

blueberry salsa The best salsa. Ever.

Main Dish:

Blueberry BBQ sauce I made this with baked tofu but it would be great with grilled tofu and veggies also.

Sloppy Chicks: This was consumed at a Game of Thrones Season 1 viewing party. My friend’s boyfriend, Ben, went back for seconds and thirds and he is usually a carnivore!

Sweet Potato Black Bean Burgers You can make extra of these and freeze them for later. These are also carnivore-approved. My parents and Grandma gave them thumbs up all around

Side dishes: Because warm mayo potato salad is so overrated!

Peanutty Noodles and Veggies Part 1 These were non-vegan crowd tested at a pot luck and there was absolutely no left overs for me to enjoy! Big hit and no one took notice that they were vegan

Corn, Tomato and Avocado Salad A light alternative to potato or pasta salad that is fresh and in season

Dessert:

Strawberry Macaroons You could also try these with freeze dried blueberries.

Grapefruit Sorbet Skip the pies and cake drenched in vanilla ice cream and make this insanely refreshing sorbet. Top with fresh fruit, granola and or honey. This will be great on a hot day.

S’more Truffles Bite-sized s’mores delicious-ness without the mess…or bon fire…or the hunt for vegan marshmellows

July 4th Popsicles  The dessert that is currently blowing up on pinterest! There is also my 2012 recipe round-up in this link so take a look at those recipes, too!

Beverages:

Lemon Lime Margarita There is nothing patriotic about this. It’s just delicious.

Pomagranite Margarita It’s Red. It’s Tequila. What more could you want? Maybe throw some blueberries in it?

and here’s a new recipe for you,  a vegan-friendly potato salad, sans the mayo. I brought this to a cook out a few weeks ago and then like a ditz, I forgot to put it out when we were eating. This means I’ve been eating this whole potato salad, by myself, for about a week. Trust me. I will not be eating potato salad today at any fourth of July parties. oi

Southwestern Potato Salad
from: Edibleperspective.com

For the salad:

• 2 lbs sweet potatoes, chopped into 1-inch cubes
• 1 3/4 cups cooked black beans, rinsed + drained
• 2 bell peppers, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups chopped red onion
• 1 1/2 cups sweet corn (about 2 or 3 ears of corn on the cobb)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 tablespoon safflower oil
• salt + pepper
• lime wedges + fresh parsley/oregano/cilantro, to top, optional (I didn’t have any so I skipped this step)

For the dressing:

• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 1/2 tablespoons lime juice
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 3-4 teaspoons chipotle adobo sauce (found in the mexican food section in a little can. I only had whole chipotle peppers in adobe sauce, so I just pureed them in my nut chopper and they worked great)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons lime zest
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure maple syrup, or honey
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• scant 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon salt + pepper

1. Add dressing ingredients to a jar and shake vigorously until fully combined.  Set aside.
2. Add water to a large pot and bring to a boil.
3. Add chopped potatoes to the pot of boiling water and boil for about 8-12 minutes until just tender.  Do not overcook.  Taste-test a few cubes for doneness.  
4. Pour potatoes into a large colander and rinse with cold water for ~1 minute to stop the cooking.
5. While the potatoes are cooking, heat a medium pan over medium heat with 1/2 tablespoon oil.
6. Once hot, add the onion and a large pinch of salt to the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently.
7. Add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds then add the corn and cook for about 6-8 minutes, stirring frequently, until the corn starts to slightly brown and the onion is soft.
8. Remove from heat and pour onto a plate to cook for a few minutes.
9. Empty the sweet potatoes, black beans, bell peppers, and corn mixture into a large bowl.
10. Pour about 3/4 of the dressing overtop and gently toss to coat.
11. Place in the fridge [uncovered] until fully chilled and then cover until ready to serve.
12. Gently stir the mixture, then taste and add more dressing, salt, and pepper if needed and stir again to distribute.
13. Place in individual bowls or in a large serving dish and top with fresh parsley, oregano, and/or cilantro.  Serve with lime wedges on the side.
14. This lasts upwards of 1 week.

Even though I’ve been eating this for over a week, I have to say, it’s still pretty delicious! I love, love, LOVE the lime chipotle dressing and actually only used about half for this recipe and used the other half on a different salad I will be sharing with you later. It’s super light and flavorful, perfect for summer. I think this recipe will be a great change for your picnics or cook outs and will keep things vegan without people even noticing!

Ironically, I have been going non-stop all week and have plans all weekend but today is looking pretty quiet! I’m hoping to lounge around all day and do a whole lot of nothin’! Maybe I’ll go purchase some sparklers to keep in the spirit but other then that, relaxation is the word of the day. Hope everyone has a great 4th and stay safe!!

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